St. Paul Dog Bite Lawyer
If a dog has bitten you, you will need immediate medical attention. Dog bite injuries can be lifelong injuries. Even if they are not, you may suffer long-lasting consequences requiring multiple medical treatments. This treatment is costly, and you should not have to pay for it.
If you have been bitten, call the law firm of Tyroler Leonard Injury Law at 651-259-1113 to get a free case evaluation from an experienced dog bite injury lawyer in St. Paul.
When to Call a Dog Bite Attorney for Help
Every dog can cause injuries. They are born with the instinct to hunt and kill their prey. Only through the gentle training and supervision of humans can those instincts be suppressed, so that you can safely interact with dogs without being bitten. When a dog owner fails to control their animal and you get bitten, you need the help of a St. Paul dog bite lawyer.
Almost anyone who has owned a dog has been nipped when the dog got too playful. But a slight nip is not dangerous, as the dog intended no harm. When a dog wants to harm, its bite becomes extremely dangerous. Many dogs have teeth that rip and tear and jaws that can break a bone.
Why You Should Choose Tyroler Leonard Injury Law Dog Bite Injury Lawyers
Rachel Sperling Leonard and Isaac Tyroler are powerful advocates for people who have suffered injuries. We care about clients and their well-being. We know from experience that insurance companies do not want to pay money to help people recover from injury. That is why we vigorously fight the insurance companies to help injured people get the money they deserve. Our results include million-dollar settlements and verdicts, leading to hundreds of satisfied clients.
Our passion for providing compassionate advocacy for injury victims is the heart and soul of our law firm. A dog bite attorney at our firm will emulate success, skill, and heart. We are committed to helping people recover physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially after a dog attack in Minnesota.
How We Can Help
You may wonder why you need a dog bite injury attorney in St. Paul when the insurance company pays for all your bills. It would help if you had a dog bite injury lawyer in Minnesota because insurance companies always try to pay injury victims as little money as possible.
Even if the insurance company hasn’t arbitrarily denied your claim, it probably undervalues the injury you received.
An insurance company can undervalue your injury in several creative ways. It can:
- Refuse to pay for medical treatment that it claims is unrelated to the injury
- Pay the value it assigns to your treatment rather than the actual cost you paid
- Offer you money before you know the full extent of your injuries
- Pay only for medical expenses, ignoring other costs or lost income
- Ignore the pain and suffering you incurred due to the injury.
Your dog bite injury lawyer in St. Paul has experience determining the actual value of a dog bite. We take into account the following:
- Current and future medical bills
- Lost income
- Incurred expenses, for medical equipment and transportation assistance, for example
- Pain and suffering
- Scarring
- Embarrassment
- Loss of companionship.
We have experience dealing with dog bite injury cases and can precisely determine the value of these factors. Our attorneys use that information to negotiate a fair settlement that ensures you fully recover and return to as normal a life as possible.
Our familiarity with Minnesota law, St. Paul courts, and local victim resources sets us apart from other firms. We are not just any law firm trying to get you money. We are a St. Paul law firm that will quickly and locally assist you.
Our Dog Bite Injury Lawyers in Minnesota Explain What to Do After a St. Paul Dog Attack
If a dog attack in St. Paul has injured you, you must act quickly. Your injuries will require treatment, and if you do not take the proper steps, you could be stuck paying for that treatment yourself. The St. Paul dog bite lawyers at Tyroler Leonard Injury Law recommend you take the following steps.
Evaluate Whether Your Injuries Are Life-Threatening
Many dog bite injuries can be life-threatening. If you are even slightly concerned about the severity of your injuries, seek medical treatment before doing anything else. Your safety needs to be your top concern.
Find The Dog Owner
Once your injuries have been cared for, or you are sure you can safely delay seeking medical care, find the dog owner. You want to get their contact information and insurance information.
Take a picture of any identifying information they provide, if possible. Avoid talking to them about what happened or making any guarantees about how you will act until you have spoken to a dog bite injury lawyer in St. Paul.
Report The Dog Attack to the Police
Reporting the dog attack to the police is the fastest way to involve animal control. This ensures the safety of everyone in the area. Additionally, by creating a police report, you ensure an official record of your injury. If possible, contact a dog bite injury attorney in St. Paul before speaking to the police so that you have legal representation while making your statement.
Collect Evidence
Your dog bite injury lawyers will investigate your claim. But the more information you can provide them, the easier that investigation will be. Take pictures of your injuries and collect the contact information of any witnesses if you can. Providing this evidence to your attorney will often result in your collecting money more quickly.
Dog Owners Must Be Held Accountable
It has been said that there is no such thing as a bad dog, only a bad owner. While that statement exaggerates matters, it is not far from the truth. Responsible dog owners can usually prevent their dogs from harming others. This is always their responsibility.
If a dog is aggressive, it is probably because the owner has trained it to be aggressive or neglected or abused it. Aggressive instincts can be quickly suppressed by owners that treat dogs responsibly and don’t encourage bad behavior.
Dog Owner Responsibilities
In addition to training dogs well, owners are expected to care for them properly. For example, dog owners in nearby Woodbury are legally required to obtain a dog license for all dogs and to inoculate their dogs against rabies. Similarly, the Maplewood statute prevents dog owners from allowing dogs to run unleashed in the city or be unattended outdoors for more than four hours.
When people violate these laws, dog bites are more likely and dangerous. If a dog has bitten you, one of the first things your dog bite injury lawyer in St. Paul will investigate is whether the dog owner followed all local statutes. If they were not following dog ownership laws, that reckless behavior could result in your getting a higher damage award for your injuries.
Call our St. Paul dog bite lawyers at the law firm of Tyroler Leonard Injury Law today at (651) 259-1113 to learn more about your legal options.
Dog Bite Injury Lawyers Have Seen Every Injury
It is heartbreaking how severely a dog bite or dog attack can change the course of someone’s life. At Tyroler Leonard Injury Law, we have seen almost every way that a dog can injure a human being when they get aggressive. Dog attacks can result in the following:
- Lost digits or lost limbs
- Permanent scarring
- Torn muscles or tendons
- Broken or shattered bones
- Slip and fall accidents from fleeing, including slips that end in a spinal injury
- Eye damage resulting in partial or total blindness
- Organ damage.
Even a simple bite can get infected if you do not receive proper medical treatment promptly. This can turn a basic injury — that should have only required a few stitches — into a complex issue requiring years of medical treatment.
Your dog bite injury attorney in St. Paul from Tyroler Leonard Injury Law will help you find the best medical treatment and help you recover the money you need to pay for that treatment.
Client Testimonial
“Rachel Leonard is the hardest working personal injury attorney I have ever met. Rachel always kept in touch to let us know how the case proceeded. Her experience in her field is so reassuring.” – Patricia Ledo (Google Review)
Minnesota Dog Bite Frequently Asked Questions
Are you wondering what your options are after getting bitten or attacked by a dog in St. Paul? Our dog bite injury lawyers at Tyroler Leonard Injury Law have compiled answers to the most common questions.
Do I Have a Claim for My Minnesota Dog Bite?
Minnesota law makes dog owners liable for attacks if the attack was unprovoked. If a dog bites you, find the dog’s legal owner and contact a dog bite injury lawyer in Minnesota to determine how to proceed with your case.
Who Will Pay for My Medical Bills After a Dog Bite?
Most homeowner’s and renter’s coverage include a “med pay” policy for medical payments. These policies usually also cover pets and any injuries they cause, even if the dog is outside the home.
The dog owner’s insurance company will usually pay for your medical bills. However, if your bills exceed that policy’s limit, you may need to sue the dog owner directly for additional compensation to cover your losses.
Do I Have a Claim for Injuries Even If the Dog Did Not Bite Me?
You may have a legitimate claim, even if the dog did not have physical contact with you. If the aggressive actions of a dog cause your significant injury, you have a lawsuit to recover medical expenses.
For example, if a lunging dog causes you to back up and fall down a flight of stairs or trip backward over a curb, you could recover compensation from the dog’s owner. A St. Paul dog bite lawyer at Tyroler Leonard Injury Law can evaluate your case and explain your options.
How Long Do I Have to Bring a St. Paul Dog Bite Claim?
According to the Minnesota statute of limitations for personal injury claims, you need to file a claim within six years of the injury. Wisconsin law gives you three years to file a lawsuit in all personal injury cases.
What Is My Minnesota Dog Bite Claim Worth?
Compensation for your injuries will depend on the severity of the injury and how much it impacts your life. You are always eligible for compensation for medical bills, wage loss, and expenses incurred from the injury. A dog bite lawyer in St. Paul may also compensate you for pain, suffering, or emotional distress.
What Will Happen to The Dog?
Many clients are reluctant to seek damages for fear of the dog being put down. If a dog is determined to be a danger to society, animal control might decide it is the only option. But if there is a way to retrain the dog and return it safely to its owner, reporting the dog is the best thing you can do.
Injured in St. Paul? Contact Our Dog Bite Injury Lawyers in Minnesota for Help Today
Dog attacks are quite frightening. When a dog gets aggressive, it can come at you instantly, severely injuring you before you know what is happening. This is a terrifying event that leaves you feeling helpless and scared.
The dog bite injury attorneys at Tyroler Leonard Injury Law understand your feelings. We are available 24 hours daily to help you recover physically, emotionally, and financially. If a dog in St. Paul has bitten you, call us today at 651-259-1113 or fill out our convenient contact form to get a free evaluation for your case today.
Attorney Rachel Sperling Leonard
A partner of Tyroler Leonard Injury Law, Ms. Sperling Leonard practices exclusively in personal injury and wrongful death claims. Specifically, she specializes in car accidents, motorcycle accidents, boating accidents, dog bites, dog attacks, slip and falls, trip and falls, sexual assaults/abuse and other assaults. Some representative cases of Ms. Sperling Leonard’s in the last few years include: a $1 million settlement for an individual injured in a car crash, a $750,000.00 for a man injured when he slipped and fell, a $455,000.00 settlement for an individual injured after falling, and multiple $250,000.00 settlements for individuals injured in motorcycle and auto accidents, among many others. She frequently turns insurance company denials into fair-value offers.
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